Milkshake Recipes

Try out one of Hannah Miles' recipes, or use them as inspiration to create your own frosty combination.

All recipes excerpted from Milkshake Bar by Hannah Miles (2012, Ryland Peters and Small, $15.95; rylandpeters.com). Photography by Kate Whitaker

Peanut Butter Shake

“With Reese’s Peanut Butter chocolates being my all-time favorite candy, you can imagine how much I like this milk shake,” writes author Miles. “Rich chocolate syrup, salty peanut butter and a drizzle of caramel, all served ice cold with ice cream—quite simply heaven in a glass for me! You can use smooth or crunchy peanut butter, whichever you prefer. If you use crunchy, you may want to serve your milk shakes with a spoon so that you can eat the peanut pieces, which will sink to the bottom of the shake.”

Ingredients

2 tbs. chocolate syrup

4 tbs. caramel sauce

2 cups milk, chilled


1⁄2 cup peanut butter

4 scoops vanilla ice cream

1  tbs. honey-roasted peanuts, 
chopped, to decorate

2  soda glasses, chilled

A squeezy bottle (optional)

2 straws

Preparation

Drizzle alternating lines of chocolate syrup and caramel sauce down the inside of each glass using a squeezy bottle or a spoon (use about 1 tablespoon of each sauce per glass).

Add the remaining two tablespoons of caramel sauce to a blender with the milk, peanut butter and two scoops of ice cream, and whizz until very foamy and thick.

Pour the milk shake into the prepared glasses, top each with a scoop of ice cream and sprinkle with the peanuts. Serve immediately with straws. Serves 2

Berry Smoothie

“Smoothies are popular yogurt-based drinks that are really refreshing,” says Miles. “Made with frozen berries, which defrost as you blend, this drink has the perfect chill factor. You can use any combination of berries you like—strawberries, blueberries and raspberries are my favorites. Decorated with fresh fruit skewers, this cooling drink is perfect to serve when the sun shines.”

Ingredients

8–10 fresh berries


2 tbs. store-bought strawberry sauce


1 1⁄4 cups natural yogurt

1 1⁄4 cups milk, chilled

1  cup fresh ripe strawberries

2  cups frozen berries

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1  tbs. honey, or to taste

2  wooden skewers

A squeezy bottle or piping bag with a small round nozzle

2 soda glasses, chilled

2 straws

PreparatIon

Thread several berries onto each of the skewers, and store in the fridge until needed.

Put two tablespoons of the berry sauce in a squeezy bottle or piping bag, and pipe a spiral onto the inside of each glass.

Put the yogurt and milk in a blender, add the strawberries, frozen berries, vanilla extract and honey, and blitz until all the fruit is blended. If your blender is not strong enough to crush the frozen berries, allow them to soften at room temperature before adding.

Pass the smoothie through a strainer to remove the seeds, then pour into the prepared glasses. Add a fruit skewer and straw to each glass, and serve.

Tip: the sweetness may need to be adjusted depending on the sugar content of the berries. Add a little more honey if necessary. Serves 2

Maple Popcorn Shake

“Maple syrup, candied nuts and popcorn—could you ask for anything more in a shake?” writes Hannah Miles, who offers a tip: “If you’re having a 4th of July or cheerleading party, why not thread the popcorn onto foil sparkler wands to add a bit of razzle-dazzle to your shakes?”

Ingredients

1 1⁄2 oz. caramel-coated popcorn

4 scoops praline and cream ice cream


2 tbs. maple syrup


1 2⁄3 cups milk, chilled


2 thin wooden skewers

2 soda glasses, chilled

2 straws

PreparatIon

Thread about five pop-
corn kernels onto each of the skewers, and set aside until you are ready to serve. Take care when threading as the popcorn is fragile.

Put the ice cream, maple syrup, milk and the remaining popcorn in a blender, and blitz until very foamy and thick.

Pour into chilled glasses, and serve immediately with straws and the popcorn skewers. Serves 2

Chocolate Cherry Freeze

“Chocolate and cherry are an indulgent combination, and this delicious drink is no exception,” writes Miles in Milkshake Bar. “Thick chocolate syrup and frozen cherry yogurt are topped off with fresh cherry juice, which is available in most supermarkets and health food stores. This version is decorated with a whole cherry or, for a special treat, you could use classic cerisettes (chocolate-coated cherries with kirsch).”

Ingredients

2 tbs. chocolate syrup


1 cup cherry juice


2 scoops cherry frozen yogurt

Canned whipped cream

Chocolate sprinkles, to decorate

2 whole cherries, to decorate


2 tall, stemmed glasses, chilled

Preparation

Spoon a tablespoon of chocolate syrup into each glass, and swirl so that the bottom third of the glass is coated with syrup.

Put the cherry juice and frozen yogurt in a blender, and blitz until frothy.

Pour into the prepared glasses, and top each with a squirt of whipped cream. Decorate the glasses with chocolate sprinkles and a whole cherry, and serve immediately. Serves 2

Salted Caramel Shake

“Adding a pinch of salt to a sticky caramel sauce gives a whole new depth 
of flavor,” writes Miles. “Topped with pieces of fudge and packed full of toffee ice cream, this shake is a creamy caramel dream!”

Ingredients

For the salted caramel sauce:

1⁄2 cup granulated sugar

3 tbs. butter


A pinch of salt


3 tbs. heavy cream

For the milk shake:

1 2⁄3 cups milk, chilled


4 scoops caramel ice cream


2 pieces vanilla fudge, cut into small cubes, to decorate

2 soda glasses, chilled

Preparation

To prepare the salted caramel sauce, put the sugar and butter in a small saucepan and simmer over a gentle heat until the butter has melted and the sugar dissolved. Add the salt and cream, and heat for a few minutes more, stirring, until you have a thick sauce. Set aside to cool.

When cooled, spoon a tablespoonful of the caramel sauce into each glass and swirl so that the bottom half of the glass is coated in caramel.

Put the milk into a blender with the remaining caramel sauce (reserving a little for decoration) and two scoops of the ice cream, and blitz until smooth and frothy.

Pour the shake into chilled glasses, and top each with a scoop of ice cream. Sprinkle with the fudge pieces, drizzle with the reserved caramel sauce and serve immediately. Serves 2